JOHN BOYNE

JOHN BOYNE

I was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1971, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, where I was awarded the Curtis Brown prize.

My early writing consisted mostly of short stories and the first one I published, The Entertainments Jar, was shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary Award in Ireland. Many of my stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies.

I’ve published 9 novels for adults and four for younger readers, including The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas which was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was made into a Miramax feature film. It has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.

I am also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times and have been a judge for both the Hennessy Literary Awards and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I have also won 3 Irish Book Awards, for Children’s Book of the Year, People’s Choice Book of the Year and Short Story of the Year.

My novels are published in 48 languages.

My most recent adult novel, A HISTORY OF LONELINESS, is published in the UK by Doubleday and in the USA by Farrar Straus & Giroux.

A new novel for younger readers, THE BOY AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, will be published in Autumn 2015, as will my first collection of short stories, BENEATH THE EARTH.

I’m currently serving as the jury chair for the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize, Canada’s premier literary award.